History of Business: Fremont man recalls job at popcorn stand

When I ask people about Fremont's downtown in the 1950s, many recall how busy it was on Saturday nights. Others remember the roasted peanuts or their favorite restaurant. Some point to their favorite stores. A few have remembered the popcorn stand.

Kurt Krugh is one of those who has a strong memory of the popcorn stand. He worked there for nearly two years as a teenager.

For those of you who never knew or don't recall, the popcorn stand was right in front of the comfort station, which sat right in the middle of Croghan Street just east of its intersection with Front Street.

Pointing out that it wasn't a popcorn cart, Krugh describes the popcorn stand as a little portable building with the popping machine inside and windows on either end to sell the boxes of popcorn.

Krugh, who began working when he was about 14, spent his weekends there, making popcorn and selling it for 10 cents a box after school Friday nights, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturdays and from noon until 6 p.m. on Sundays.

"Sundays were pretty quiet," he said, pointing out that not many stores were open on Sundays. He was happy to have his little radio along to keep him company when things were slow.

Many of his customers were motorists who would rush out of their cars and run up to the popcorn stand when they were stopped at the traffic light at the intersection of Front and Croghan streets.

Fortunately, Krugh would have a box of popcorn or two ready for them.

The routine went something like this: The owner would provide him with a pile of flattened boxes and Krugh would open and fold them properly and then fill them, having eight or 10 boxes ready at all times.

When the day or weekend was over, the owner would count the empty boxes left, so he knew how many were sold.

He was careful with his money.

Krugh recalls that on his very first day, someone gave him a quarter for two boxes and told him the nickel was a tip. Excited, he told the owner, who responded that he - the owner - kept all the tips.

"That was the last time tips were mentioned," Krugh said.

That nickel was a nice tip for a 14-year-old, who averaged about $3 per weekend, making a penny on each box of popcorn sold.

"We more or less catered to people who were walking around and looking into store windows," he said.

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History of Business: Fremont man recalls job at popcorn stand

When I ask people about Fremont's downtown in the 1950s, many recall how busy it was on Saturday nights. Others remember the roasted peanuts or their favorite restaurant. Some point to their favorite